Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies

The game is set in the alternate universe of Strangereal where Earth has different landmasses and history. Four years prior to the events of the game, a massive asteroid enters and breaks up in Earth's atmosphere. The impact events cause over 500,000 deaths in the first two weeks as well as an international financial crisis and refugee crisis. Just before the game starts, the Federal Republic of Erusea invades and occupies the neutral country of San Salvacion. Erusea also captures an array of anti-asteroid railguns codenamed Stonehenge which was developed to destroy the asteroid's fragments. Stonehenge is repurposed as a long-range anti-air weapon. Erusea is opposed by the Independent State Allied Forces (ISAF), but ISAF is forced to retreat outside Stonehenge's range to the island of North Point. Erusea gains control of most of Usea's mainland.[3][4] The player controls the game's silent protagonist, an ISAF pilot known by the callsign Mobius 1, while interludes are narrated by a man from San Salvacion writing a letter to Mobius 1 after the war recalling his childhood memories of wartime.

Mobius 1 and ISAF repel Erusean bombers from destroying ISAF headquarters[5] and enable ISAF troops to evacuate to North Point.[6] Mobius 1 takes part in a series of air raids to disable Erusea's "invincible" Aegir Fleet, halting Erusea's attempts to invade North Point by sea.[7] Bolstered by their victories, ISAF planes strike deeper into the continent but take heavy losses to fire from Stonehenge.[8] ISAF then launches a ground invasion of the Usean mainland, establishing a foothold on the continent.[9] Mobius 1 gains a reputation as a promising ace.

Meanwhile, a boy witnesses the death of his immediate family when an Erusean fighter with a yellow-painted 13 tail number shoots down an ISAF aircraft which crashes into the boy's home.[10] The boy is taken in by his uncle, an unemployed alcoholic who lives above a bar in San Salvacion's capitol city. The boy describes his experience of the Erusean occupation. He earns income by playing music for Erusean soldiers in the bar.[11] There he meets the Erusean ace pilot with the callsign Yellow 13, who captains the elite Yellow Squadron.[12] Although the boy resents Yellow 13 at first, the captain and the rest of the squadron befriend and adopt the boy as one of their own.[13][14] The boy speaks of Yellow 13's desire to face a worthy opponent[15] and praise for Mobius 1's growing skill.[16]

The ISAF invasion marks a turning point in the war against Erusea. This causes logistical problems for Yellow Squadron.[17] The boy discovers that the barkeep and his daughter are agents of the resistance,[18] though the daughter is fond of Yellow 13.[19] The daughter bombs Yellow Squadron's airfield,[20] damaging the aircraft flown by Yellow 13's wingman and close friend Yellow 4.[21] ISAF launches an attack on Stonehenge in which Mobius 1 disables the railgun array. Yellow Squadron scrambles to defend Stonehenge. In the resulting dogfight, Yellow 4 is shot down by Mobius 1 and fails to eject.[22] Yellow 13 quietly mourns the death of his wingman.[23]

As ISAF forces approach San Salvacion, Yellow 13 catches the barkeep's daughter after she attempts to plant explosive detonators. The boy intervenes, calling Yellow 13 a "fascist pig." Yellow 13 is upset by the boy's words, but allows them to go free.[24] ISAF liberates San Salvacion's capitol.[25] The boy and the barkeep's daughter follow the retreating Erusean forces.[26][27] ISAF forces push through Erusea's final defensive line to the Erusean capitol.[28] As ISAF sieges the city, Mobius 1 engages and defeats Yellow 13 and the remainder of Yellow Squadron.[29] The boy and the barkeep's daughter find and bury Yellow 13's handkerchief.[30]

The Erusean leadership surrenders to ISAF. However, a rogue group of young Erusean officers take control of Megalith, a superweapon that uses rockets to shoot down asteroid fragments in orbit. Mobius 1 leads the newly formed Mobius Squadron into battle against the rogue officers while a special forces unit infiltrates the Megalith facility. Mobius 1 flies into the missile ports to destroy Megalith's generators. The special forces unit opens Mobius 1's escape route at the last moment and the squadron celebrates Mobius 1's heroism.[31]

Many years after the war, the boy (now grown) reflects on Yellow 13's life and death. He writes to Mobius 1 that "it must have brought him an unexpected joy to have an opponent like you, at the end of that meaningless war."[32]